Gensokyo Railway Series 2 (Ichihiro the Tank Engine)
by Pergold
Summary: On the railway there is a tank engine named Ichihiro. He is a mechanical youkai like the other engines but they all don't know it. But this is how Ichihiro got his branch line.
1. Prologue

The railway's first shareholders meeting was underway. The Scarlet Controller, the blonde youkai, the kappa in charge of railway engineering, and another kappa who was a representative of the Kappa Valley community.

"Railway's profits seem to be in good order." said the blonde youkai.

"I like how this 'experiment' of yours keeps me entertained." said the Scarlet Controller.

"This has increased trade and productivity within our community. But I have to ask you, how is the railway going to function if another crash like that happens again?" quizzed the representative.

The accident he was referring to was when Hiroto got distracted by a spell card and crashed into Kenta's train. This has since stirred within the railway's higher ups, the kappa in charge of engineering, Nitori Kawashiro, has since started construction on a new engine. But the rest of the board was anxious to get a new locomotive in operation.

"Can't you build that engine any faster?" said the Scarlet Controller.

"No...I mean...Um...I think I could expedite some aspects of its construction." said Nitori, unsure of herself.

"Good, cause I'm getting used to receiving the Yen this railway provides me with." said the blonde youkai.

"Yukari, this railway shouldn't be entirely for profit. Think of the youkai and humans we're keep occupied. Aside from some minor incidents, youkai activity has gotten down." Nitori explained.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure Reimu is pleased about this. Can we end this meeting already, I'm getting tired." said the blonde youkai.

The meeting went on for a little while more before adjourning. The blonde youkai had fallen asleep when everybody else was leaving, it wasn't until some time had gone by before she gapped herself away.


	2. Ichihiro's Train

Ichihiro was in the shed with the other engines. He was a small engine with a long tongue.

"I want to get out and explore the line!" he said.

The other engines were annoyed by Ichihiro's behavior, but he still complained about working at the station. But Shiro felt bad for him.

"Say, do you want to pull my train tomorrow?" asked Shiro.

"Why yes!" replied Ichihiro.

The next day he was excited, he pulled into the yard and his driver talked to the yardmaster about the change in engine.

"Alright, but don't look at me if the Scarlet Controller has a fit." warned the yardmaster.

Ichihiro was coupled up to the train of goods and tried to make his forward. It was hard work getting the trucks to move, but after a while the train was going. His driver and firewoman worked hard to keep up his speed and strength, but by the time he had reached Hiroto's Hill (the incline was after the time Hiroto had stopped on the hill next to Youkai Mountain). Ichihiro was feeling low on steam but kept pushing uphill. He made it to the top of the hill and his driver slowed him down so he could coast down the hill. But the heavy cars pushed him down the hill, Ichihiro sped down onto the mainline, he felt his pistons pumping as he barreled down the mainline. He was nearing the Human Village's freight yard.

"Stop! Stop!" Ichihiro screamed.

"I'm trying!" His driver yelled back.

Ichihiro shut his eyes when the train sped into the yard. The train was slowing down and stopped after softly hitting the buffers at the end of one of the sidings. Ichihiro opened his eyes, there standing in front of him was the Scarlet Controller, with her head maid holding a parasol over her.

"You have caused all sorts of confusion when you took Shiro's train and Shiro was doing _your_ job!" said the Scarlet Controller.

"I'm very sorry sir." said Ichihiro sadly.

"Next time, do what you are told to do." she continued.

"I'll also talk to Shiro about making arrangements without the proper consent first." the Scarlet Controller finished.

Ichihiro backed up and pulled the trucks into their proper place. It was nice that he got to do something for a change, but he felt bad for being scolded by the Scarlet Controller. He took over his regular job after Shiro finished Hiroto's next express. Ichihiro felt better afterwards.


	3. Ichihiro and Akemi

The Scarlet Controller had announced that a new engine was due to come on the railway.

"His name is Akemi, and he should arrive at tomorrow." She said to the engines.

"Wow, a new engine." said Kenta.

"I hope he's as strong as me." said Hiroto.

"I think it's so that if one of us gets into an accident, the railway doesn't get delayed." said Shiro.

"That's exactly why we're having Akemi." replied the Scarlet Controller.

The next day a JGR Class 5500 pulled into the Human Village station.

"I'm Akemi, I'm supposed to take this train to the Hakurei shrine?" He introduced himself.

"So your the new engine the others have been talking about. I'm Ichihiro." Ichihiro said to the new engine.

"Hello Ichihiro." Akemi said back.

"Your coaches are on platform three."

"Thank you."

Akemi took the passengers and later took some empty trucks to depot in Kappa Valley. He was termed as mixed-traffic by the executives and this had gotten to his smokebox. He boasted this to the other engines in the shed.

"I can pull _both_ coaches and trucks!" he said happily to the other engines.

Hiroto and Kenta rolled their eyes, first Ichihiro, now this fool?

"Be quiet!" said Hiroto.

"Hmph! At least I can pull freight." said Akemi, under his breath.

Akemi had a fatal flaw in his construction. Some corners were cut and while the quality of his build was good, his brakes and injector were bad. It wouldn't affect until the next day, when Ichihiro was working in the yard.

He had pushed some cars for Kenta's next train, when Akemi sped past.

"Help! Help! My brakes have failed!" Akemi wailed as he thundered past.

Not even fifteen minutes have gotten by when the yardmaster spoke over the intercom.

"Akemi is off the line, the breakdown train is needed." she said.

The breakdown train consisted of two cranes and a special coach for rail workers. Ichihiro was the only engine available and had to help out.

Akemi had turned over on a curve and into a field, his crew were feeling him over for any damage. Ichihiro brought the breakdown crane and the workers went to picking up the spilled cargo. Ichihiro shunted away the unhurt cars and set to work taking the rerailed cars. It took a while to get Akemi back on the tracks. Ichihiro took Akemi back to the sheds to be repaired.

The Scarlet Controller was waiting for them at sheds.

"Well done Ichihiro!" She said.

"It was good that you were around when Akemi was in need."

"Thank you sir!" said Ichihiro.

"As for you Akemi, you will get your brakes mended and a new injector." the Scarlet Controller said to Akemi.

"Thanks." Akemi said.

"For your work today, I'll let you pull more trains. In fact, I'll even let you take trains on the Eientei branch." She said.

"This is wonderful sir!" Ichihiro said excitedly.

Akemi had his braking systems repaired and put into better working order and Ichihiro now takes trains to the Eientei branch line. He even has coaches specifically for him, their names are Ani and Kuraraberu. Ichihiro is much happier now that he doesn't do as much of the same monotonous work.


	4. Ichihiro and the Yama

There is a crossing in which humans and their carts and wagons go across, youkai cross it too, but not when Kenta goes by. The crossing is unprotected so engines have to whistle when they approach it. Sometimes no one is there, so some engines don't bother at all, even though its against regulations. Ichihiro was one of those engines, he'd pass by without an issue.

But Eiki Shiki, the local yama, saw him pass the crossing without whistling, despite one else being at the crossing. She waited for the next time Ichihiro would cross by. The engine stopped to let her cross. But Eiki just walked up to his driver and began talking.

"What immoral youkai, to drive this metal...thing without warning others. Its dangerous, you ought to be sent to hell for this!" Eiki said angrily.

"We've been here hundreds of times and never had an accident." the driver explained.

"I think otherwise." She said, writing down 'immorally regular law breaker' on a piece of paper she had kept in her pocket.

Ichihiro went away sadly, his driver now worried for his job and how his afterlife was going to be.

The Scarlet Controller was enjoying some tea and cakes and some O type blood, when the head maid, Sakuya, walked in.

"Excuse me mistress, but you're wanted on the telephone." she said.

"Bother that telephone..." the Scarlet Controller said.

She went and picked the phone, on the other line was Eiki.

"Hello?" said the Scarlet Controller.

"Yes this is she...What?...An engine passed by, didn't warn anyone?...A danger to the railway?...yes...yeah...okay, bye."

"Sakuya, come with me, I need to have a talk with that yama." said the Scarlet Controller.

Ichihiro, Eiki, and the Scarlet Controller met in the terminus in the Human Village.

"I don't understand. Clearly Ichihiro knew what he was doing." said the Scarlet Controller.

"That makes it worse! A vampire that sides with this machine and its two criminals." Eiki said.

"I mean we could build a engine with things that protect other people." the Scarlet Controller suggested.

"I don't think that's a good idea mistress, it'd be inefficient just to build another machine just because the yama's upset." the head maid butted in.

"I'm not upset, I'm doing my job! I decide what's wrong and right, good and evil, moral and immoral. What I witnessed was immoral and a danger to the safety of humans and youkai alike." Eiki was flustered.

"I don't know." said the Scarlet Controller, giving up.

"Why not build a proper railway crossing?" said Ichihiro.

"Yeah why not? You probably didn't build one cause your corrupted, like Reimu!" said the angry yama.

"Fine. I'll talk to Nitori about it." the Scarlet Controller said.

"Good. In the meantime, if Komachi brings in anyone that died at that crossing. I'll take this railway apart!" said Eiki, finally agreeing.

While the crossing was being upgraded, trains were to run at a lower speed. This make some of the other engines upset.

"This slowness is going to make me late!" said Akemi, passing the crossing.

"Kuchikitana yama!" said Hiroto later that day.

The only ones that didn't mind the heavily reduced speed limits were Shiro and Kenta. This left with Ichihiro bringing in supplies to the workers as they built the crossing, this was suggested by Eiki as restitution to what she deemed to be a crime. Ichihiro didn't mind, neither did his crew. After all, it meant that the yama didn't complain and try to lecture him.


	5. Ichihiro and the Guard

Ichihiro pulls his coaches, Ani and Kuraraberu to and fro. Mostly to the station right by Eientei, but sometimes pulls them to the stations that serve the two shrine at both ends of the mainline. Ani held passengers, but Kuraraberu holds passengers, luggage, and a guard. The guard is the person that tells the driver that the train is ready to go and also works the brake in the back coach or brake van, in Ichihiro's case, it was Kuraraberu.

Ichihiro loves working with his new coaches, they often sing.

"Even within the midst of flowing time." Ichihiro started.

"Look, indifference still goes round and round." Ani continued.

"As for me, my heart has seperated from me." Kuraraberu sang along.

One day, Ichihiro was waiting for a connection to Eientei.

"Where is that Kenta?" said Ichihiro impatiently.

Then chuffing along was Kenta, he pulled into the station right beside Ichihiro.

"Where have you been?" said Ichihiro.

"I swear, the Scarlet Controller has been working he down to the frames." replied Kenta.

"That's no reason for you to be late." said Ichihiro in a displeased tone.

The guard blew his whistle, but Ichihiro was so impatient, he left the station, leaving the guard behind!

"We've left our guard behind! We've left our guard behind!" said the coaches, but Ichihiro didn't listen.

They continued until they have reached a set of points.

"Damn, we've progress so well." Ichihiro said.

"Boke! You've left my guard behind!" said a very fed up Kuraraberu.

"The guard? Where is the guard?!" Ichihiro said, confused.

There running behind was the guard, he was exhausted from running several miles. He had a drink and went in front of Ichihiro.

"You naughty engine! You've left me behind! You can be such a baka at times." berated the Guard.

Ichihiro looked down sadly between his buffers.

"Oh come on, its not that bad." said Ani.

"At least you got your guard back."

Ichihiro felt better and continued on with journey. Now he knows to wait until his guard is on board before leaving the station and to not let his emotions get the better of him, when time was not on his side.


	6. Epilogue

"The extension will go from here to the edge of the Forest of Magic." said Nitori.

"Why are we doing this?" asked the blonde youkai.

"Rinnosuke says that Remilia owes him at lot in debt." replied Nitori.

"I don't owe him money. I just what to give him a gift." retorted the Scarlet Controller.

The three discussed the extension to the Forest of Magic, the cost of resources and money. The line would take off from the mainline and head north towards the forest, a small station and a few sidings to handle cargo going to Kourindou. The railway was doing well now that Akemi's issues have been resolved and he has been a very fruitful engine. They even discussed building a new engine, but the idea was shelved for another time.

"Construction will start in a day or two." said Nitori, concluding the meeting.

Yukari fell asleep again and was late leaving.


End file.
